III. THE MODERATOR

The Moderator of the Annual Meeting is the presiding officer of the meeting. This important role as Moderator is this person’s only function.

The Moderator:

• interprets and applies the rules of the meeting

• expedites the business of the meeting

• ensures that everyone involved in the meeting is treated fairly

• clarifies what is happening

• advises delegates in the procedures of the meeting

• maintains the discipline and joy of Christian fellowship

Electronic Voting For This Annual Meeting

We have partnered with LUMI to assist us during this year’s hybrid Annual Meeting. LUMI is not like a traditional Zoom meeting interface, nor is it exactly like Convene AGM (last year’s meeting software)

Some learning may be required to get the hang of the system before you use it to cast your vote and participate in the meeting.

This system is designed for virtual and hybrid meetings like ours, and every delegate will be using the LUMI system, whether online or onsite. Onsite and online attendees will interact with LUMI in slightly different ways (more on this below)

If you are joining the meeting virtually: You must use a laptop or desktop computer to participate. In previous years, delegates were able to use phones and tablets to participate in the meeting LUMI, however, only works on computers with specific web browsers mobile devices and web browsers outside of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox are not supported It is important to avoid trying to use Safari (the default web browser on Mac) and instead use one of the three previously mentioned browsers to access the LUMI website Online delegates are expected to have a reliable means for participation, including a strong internet connection to support their engagement in the meeting. Delegates will be credentialed according to the principle of “one delegate, one device” (one delegate may not use more than one device at a time, and multiple delegates may not share the same device). This is a security feature that is tied to LUMI to help ensure the voting process is safe and accurate. If you need to switch devices for any reason during the meeting, you will need to log out of LUMI on your original device before you attempt to log in to LUMI on a second device.

Along with a reliable internet connection, it is suggested that online delegates use a microphoneequipped headset or earphones (Bluetooth or wired) to reduce audio feedback, allow you to better hear the audio of the Annual Meeting, and to block background noises when speaking to the Moderator. When you plug in your headset or turn on your earphones, you will need to ensure that your computer’s settings have been set so that the “speaker” is your headset, and the “microphone” is also your headset. This is a critical part of your set up so that when you queue to speak through the LUMI platform, Zoom is set up with the correct speaker and microphone. This will minimize any technical difficulties.

Below is a sample screenshot of some of the main features online delegates will use on the LUMI website during the meeting. Please familiarize yourself with these details as you will use this screen for most of the meeting. (Onsite attendees will not engage with the meeting through a laptop or desktop, so this screenshot does not apply to your experience.) Online delegates will need to enable the video screen for the webcast so they can see what is happening live.

As the technology will be different for onsite and virtual delegates, the training is offered as separate videos for you to watch at your leisure Recorded sessions can be found on the Gather website (covchurch.org/gather). We will also host one live technology training session for virtual delegates on June 20, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. Central via zoom. Details for this training will be sent specifically to virtual delegates via email by June 15, 2023. Onsite delegates will receive a brief tutorial at the start of the Annual Meeting during Business Session #1 as the technology is quite straightforward.

If you are joining the meeting onsite: Onsite attendees will be using LUMI’s physical voting devices to cast votes. This will consist of both a voting card and a voting keypad. You will receive a voting card during registration, which will authenticate your identity as someone who is able to vote in the LUMI system. It is important that you keep track of your voting card throughout Gather. Voting keypads, on the other hand, will be provided when you enter the meeting space and will be collected on your way out at the end of each business session. This will allow for the devices to be charged for the next session.

To vote, you need to physically insert your voting card into the voting keypad (making sure the arrows and the chip at the bottom of the voting card are facing you), and the card must remain in the keypad the whole time in order to cast your vote. When the vote is opened, the voting options will appear on the device screen. Simply press the physical numerical button on the keypad that corresponds with your choice for voting. For the majority of the motions we will vote on (but not all), 1 will correspond with “For, ” 2 will correspond with “Against, ” and 3 will correspond with “Abstain ” After you have voted, a confirmation will appear on the screen. In order to change your vote, simply enter your new choice (usually 1, 2, or 3). Once you have confirmed your choice, your vote will be submitted.

In addition to the technology training for online delegates, we will offer multiple virtual Delegate Orientation sessions which focus on educating delegates about the parliamentary procedures that will take place at the Annual Meeting. If you would like to join a live Delegate Orientation session before Gather 2023 begins, sessions are being held in June on the following dates and times via Zoom:

- Saturday, June 3, at 11:00 a.m. Central

- Tuesday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m. Central

- Wednesday, June 14, at 7:30 p.m. Central

- Saturday, June 17, at 1:00 p.m. Central

An onsite delegate orientation will be held on the following date and time:

- Thursday, June 29, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific

We also are hosting two more delegate briefing sessions to provide context and information on phase I of the Covenant Organizational Design and the proposed Bylaw amendments. They will be held on:

- Tuesday, May 30, at 11:30 a.m. Central

- Tuesday, May 30, at 6:00 p.m. Central

You can access the links for each of these sessions on the covchurch.org/gather page by clicking on Delegate Orientation on the right side of your screen.

Delegate Notebooks: This year, we offered delegates the option to receive a printed hard copy of their delegate notebook or a digital version. We hope this creates an opportunity for us as the Church to exemplify caring for God’s creation by saving on unnecessary printing. We are pleased to share that the large majority of delegates have chosen to receive their delegate notebooks virtually. Delegates who opted for a digital version of their delegate notebook may wish to refer to it on a secondary device like a phone or tablet. If you are onsite, make sure your delegate notebook is downloaded before you enter the meeting room; Wi-Fi will not be available to all onsite delegates.

Onsite and online delegates are responsible for making sure their devices are fully charged. All delegates are responsible for ensuring that their technology is working as intended as long as there is quorum, voting will not be delayed due to any delegate’s individual technical needs. As for online delegates, onsite delegates will be credentialed according to the principle of “one delegate, one device” (one delegate may not use more than one device at a time, and multiple delegates may not share the same device). If you are onsite, your voting card authenticates you as a voter and can only work in combination with the voting keypad. This is a security feature that is tied to LUMI to help ensure the voting process stays safe and accurate. If you are onsite and your voting card or voting keypad is not functioning properly, raise your hand and a member of our onsite helpdesk offer assistance.